Suspension, Brakes, and Tire Tech Place to discuss suspension mods for all models

Watts link: what, why, and who?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 02:59 AM
  #1  
Mr. V's Avatar
Thread Starter
Cobra R Member
 
Joined: September 22, 2012
Posts: 1,690
Likes: 17
From: Ontario, California
Watts link: what, why, and who?

I'm considering a watts link for me 12 gt. I'm wondering which ones people are running. Why you selected it and how it works. I guess who makes the watts you chose. What did the watts do for your car?

My biggest concern is noise. I've read conflicting posts about which is the quietest.
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 10:34 AM
  #2  
tj@steeda's Avatar
Shelby GT350 Member
 
Joined: July 16, 2011
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 52
Here is an article that we did on our Watts Link vs. some of the competition:

http://www.steeda.com/blog/2013/08/s...ng-watts-link/

Watts links are silent. (At least ours is since the bellcrank is not mounted to the differential cover).

Let me know if I can help provide any further details?

Best Regards,

TJ
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 11:47 AM
  #3  
Siber Express's Avatar
Legacy TMS Member
 
Joined: May 19, 2010
Posts: 1,927
Likes: 567
From: Clinton TN
When I do put a Watts link on it will probably be the Steeda, just going over the reviews and I do like the way it mounts up better. Second choice was the Fays 2.
I have seen propellers breaking on others, remember cheaping out on something that holds your whole rear end in to the center of the car is not the way to go.
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 11:55 AM
  #4  
Brandon302's Avatar
Shelby GT350 Member
 
Joined: May 6, 2012
Posts: 2,060
Likes: 0
From: Crofton MD
Originally Posted by Siber Express
When I do put a Watts link on it will probably be the Steeda, just going over the reviews and I do like the way it mounts up better. Second choice was the Fays 2.
I have seen propellers breaking on others, remember cheaping out on something that holds your whole rear end in to the center of the car is not the way to go.
Whose WL have you heard break? I would go the opposite of what you said, neither Steeda nor Fays2 since they are heavy, rather do a Whiteline, Cortex, or Griggs diff mounted WL.
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 12:28 PM
  #5  
Siber Express's Avatar
Legacy TMS Member
 
Joined: May 19, 2010
Posts: 1,927
Likes: 567
From: Clinton TN
Originally Posted by Brandon302
Whose WL have you heard break? I would go the opposite of what you said, neither Steeda nor Fays2 since they are heavy, rather do a Whiteline, Cortex, or Griggs diff mounted WL.
It was a Whiteline that I saw broken, and it appeared to be a design flaw that caused the break.
I have also heard of the Lakewood coming apart very early in life although I have not heard anything on the Cortex or Griggs except for the Extra noise which would not bother me in a race car but might in a Daily Driver. But Griggs does have a quiet version as well and I have not heard any reviews on it.
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 12:29 PM
  #6  
Ajcruz1's Avatar
Cobra Member
 
Joined: May 2, 2013
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 0
[/QUOTE]I would go the opposite of what you said, neither Steeda nor Fays2 since they are heavy, rather do a Whiteline, Cortex, or Griggs diff mounted WL.[/QUOTE]

^^This, through my research and talking to others those mentioned above are the way to go. I looked into WL but found it to be overkill for my v6 since it's mostly just a street car.
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 03:07 PM
  #7  
Mr. V's Avatar
Thread Starter
Cobra R Member
 
Joined: September 22, 2012
Posts: 1,690
Likes: 17
From: Ontario, California
From reading, I was leaning towards white line. I've read about several fays making noise. That pretty much pulled them off my list. I was pretty much all steeda until now. Most of my mods to date are from them. They started charging a handling fee on their orders. It's a small amount of money but the practice of charging handling is, in my opinion, a type of gouging that I won't support with my money.

It seems all the remaining options are differential cover mounted. Has anyone had issues with this? Anyone have a particularly good experience with Griggs or another watts? Am I overlooking a maker?
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 09:34 PM
  #8  
Brandon302's Avatar
Shelby GT350 Member
 
Joined: May 6, 2012
Posts: 2,060
Likes: 0
From: Crofton MD
Originally Posted by Mr. V
From reading, I was leaning towards white line. I've read about several fays making noise. That pretty much pulled them off my list. I was pretty much all steeda until now. Most of my mods to date are from them. They started charging a handling fee on their orders. It's a small amount of money but the practice of charging handling is, in my opinion, a type of gouging that I won't support with my money.

It seems all the remaining options are differential cover mounted. Has anyone had issues with this? Anyone have a particularly good experience with Griggs or another watts? Am I overlooking a maker?
If you're looking for high quality I would check out Cortex, I believe the guy who started it is a former engineer from Griggs, hence why most of the stuff looks almost exactly like Griggs.
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 10:41 PM
  #9  
Jay@Hypermotive's Avatar
Former Vendor
 
Joined: October 8, 2012
Posts: 759
Likes: 1
We have some killer deals on the Whiteline watts link. There isn't a design flaw per se, watts links have broke, especially if you track the car on a regular basis. The difference is what a company does if their part breaks. There was a WL break, in total I've heard of 2 but again, these guys tracked their car regularly. I track our Boss on a regular basis with a WL watts link and have had zero issues so far.
Limited unsprung weight is another reason to go with a WL, Griggs or Cortex setup.

I really do enjoy the characteristics the WL gave my car, completely transformed the rear end making it more stable in turns and under acceleration.
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 11:01 PM
  #10  
det97's Avatar
GT Member
 
Joined: August 4, 2011
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Twin Cities, MN
Is that covering the diff drain plug and or fill plug?
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2014 | 11:37 PM
  #11  
Jay@Hypermotive's Avatar
Former Vendor
 
Joined: October 8, 2012
Posts: 759
Likes: 1
The WL watts link comes with a new diff cover that includes both a drain and fill plug.
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 12:28 AM
  #12  
Mr. V's Avatar
Thread Starter
Cobra R Member
 
Joined: September 22, 2012
Posts: 1,690
Likes: 17
From: Ontario, California
Originally Posted by Jay@Hypermotive
The WL watts link comes with a new diff cover that includes both a drain and fill plug.
How is the whiteline in terms of noise?
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 05:19 AM
  #13  
Jay@Hypermotive's Avatar
Former Vendor
 
Joined: October 8, 2012
Posts: 759
Likes: 1
I had no increase in NVH which surprised me as I was expecting it.
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 10:09 AM
  #14  
Siber Express's Avatar
Legacy TMS Member
 
Joined: May 19, 2010
Posts: 1,927
Likes: 567
From: Clinton TN
Originally Posted by Jay@Hypermotive
We have some killer deals on the Whiteline watts link. There isn't a design flaw per se, watts links have broke, especially if you track the car on a regular basis. The difference is what a company does if their part breaks. There was a WL break, in total I've heard of 2 but again, these guys tracked their car regularly. I track our Boss on a regular basis with a WL watts link and have had zero issues so far.
Limited unsprung weight is another reason to go with a WL, Griggs or Cortex setup.

I really do enjoy the characteristics the WL gave my car, completely transformed the rear end making it more stable in turns and under acceleration.
After 1 Track day and 800 miles, not for me. 1 trip through the Tail of the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway is like running a full race that and the fact I put 500 miles a week on is even a better reason.
To me anything sticking that far out should be double sheer and not single to prevent this.

Just my opinion
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 10:31 AM
  #15  
Jay@Hypermotive's Avatar
Former Vendor
 
Joined: October 8, 2012
Posts: 759
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by Siber Express
After 1 Track day and 800 miles, not for me. 1 trip through the Tail of the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway is like running a full race that and the fact I put 500 miles a week on is even a better reason.
To me anything sticking that far out should be double sheer and not single to prevent this.

Just my opinion

Multiple track days for me without a single issue, I've seen your issue and it does question the build but has WL taken care of you after the fact? Who did the install?
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 12:24 PM
  #16  
Brandon302's Avatar
Shelby GT350 Member
 
Joined: May 6, 2012
Posts: 2,060
Likes: 0
From: Crofton MD
Originally Posted by Siber Express
After 1 Track day and 800 miles, not for me. 1 trip through the Tail of the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway is like running a full race that and the fact I put 500 miles a week on is even a better reason.
To me anything sticking that far out should be double sheer and not single to prevent this.
That does blow, but as Jay said, have you contacted Whiteline and have they taken care of you? I was reluctant to get the Whiteline UCA after seeing/hearing about the failures. The fact that they replaced all of the units that were out and revised the unit to make sure it wouldn't happen again was enough to convince me to continue buying their products. I am sure Steeda's unit is very well engineered but I am sure they have had a failure or two, which then they would make changes to their design as well.
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 07:19 PM
  #17  
Siber Express's Avatar
Legacy TMS Member
 
Joined: May 19, 2010
Posts: 1,927
Likes: 567
From: Clinton TN
That is not mine, and from what I understand WL did stand behind their product.
Here is the thread and there are 2 that had the same failure in it and Sam Stranos said he knows of at least one more.
http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107948
But after going through that it to me came up as either a design flaw or QC problem.
I am just not the one to want to have it break running around a corner in the mountains with a 400 foot drop on my side.
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 08:08 PM
  #18  
Mr. V's Avatar
Thread Starter
Cobra R Member
 
Joined: September 22, 2012
Posts: 1,690
Likes: 17
From: Ontario, California
Dumb question. What is white line's warranty in their watts?
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 08:25 PM
  #19  
Brandon302's Avatar
Shelby GT350 Member
 
Joined: May 6, 2012
Posts: 2,060
Likes: 0
From: Crofton MD
Originally Posted by Siber Express
That is not mine, and from what I understand WL did stand behind their product.
Here is the thread and there are 2 that had the same failure in it and Sam Stranos said he knows of at least one more.
http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107948
But after going through that it to me came up as either a design flaw or QC problem.
I am just not the one to want to have it break running around a corner in the mountains with a 400 foot drop on my side.
Gotcha, I feel like there is more to the story than this but I understand why you wouldn't want it to break, neither would I.
Reply
Old Jan 5, 2014 | 08:59 PM
  #20  
55r2014's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: April 23, 2013
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
I have 19,000 street and track driven miles on my CorteX watts link. No issues! I also installed the rest of their setup with coil overs so I did not do the watts link by itself. I have not tried others but have seen them. I like the packaging of the CorteX system. Their support is far beyond excellent. I selected the CorteX system after driving one of their customers cars for evaluation. I decided after that to buy a new Mustang and upgrade the suspension. The 2014 Track Pack suspension is "good" for a OEM system. The Cortex suspension setup is worth the money if outstanding performance is what you are looking for. 2,000 mies after the watts link install I also added the torque arm. So there is 17,000 miles on that component....still no issues.
Reply



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:48 AM.